Easy to freeze and reheat, my Hearty Bolognese with Gluten Free Penne is a great option for a satisfying and simple weeknight meal.

Freezer Meals for the Win!

I’ve been making this sauce for years. It tastes great, it’s satisfying, it’s not hard to make, and, most importantly, it freezes and reheats really well. I always have a couple of bags in my freezer at any given time and once I’m down to one bag I start to panic and make another batch.

This hearty bolognese with gluten free penne has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion when I do not feel like cooking or getting take out. Inevitably, my husband and I seem to have it every time we come home from a vacation because the fridge is barren, we’re both tired from unpacking and doing laundry, and I seriously do not feel like being in the kitchen for more than 15 minutes.

Which is exactly how long it takes to reheat this sauce and boil some gluten free pasta. But what I really love about this recipe is that in those times of “I’m not cooking!” we are still having a home cooked, filling meal, even if I did take it out of the freezer.

What’s In Hearty Bolognese with Gluten Free Penne?

There are a couple of ingredients that take this homemade bolognese from run-of-the-mill to fantastic. The first is the dried herbs. Now, I typically cook with fresh herbs, but when I want to add a lot of flavor and I’m slow cooking something, I add dried herbs.

Dried herbs tend to hold up better and pack a lot more flavor in dishes like this one, plus a little goes a long way. “Blooming” the herbs in the olive oil before adding anything else to the pot also helps them pack a more flavorful punch.

The next two ingredients that level up this hearty bolognese with gluten free penne are crushed garlic and grated carrots. While I realize it takes a little more effort to crush the garlic cloves with a press and grate the carrots instead of just chopping everything up, I need you to trust me on this one. The smaller you can get a garlic clove, the more flavor it adds to your recipe.

Crushing the garlic cloves really helps release all of their flavor and they basically melt into the sauce. The same goes for the carrots; grating them allows the carrots to soften and almost dissolve in the sauce and adds another layer of sweetness that you don’t get from the sugar alone. And you definitely want that extra layer of sweetness to balance out the acidity from all of the tomatoes.

Is Hearty Bolognese with Gluten Free Penne Expensive to Make?

Nope! I find this recipe to be incredibly cost effective to make. Whenever they’re on sale, I stock up on canned tomatoes and sauce, as well as boxes of GF pasta so I have them at my disposal when I want to make another batch of hearty bolognese with gluten free penne.

Ground beef is relatively inexpensive as well, but still adds great flavor to the sauce, so you’re not breaking the bank buying short ribs or an expensive cut of beef.

Additionally, using dried herbs is a budget saver since you’ll most likely have all of them in your pantry. Plus, we all know dried herbs last longer than the fresh ones!

Tips for making Hearty Bolognese with Gluten Free Penne

Get all of your veggies chopped, cans open, cheese grated, etc. prior to cooking the herbs and ground beef. Trust me, it will make the process so much easier!

Bloom your herbs and garlic in olive oil for just a minute before you add your ground beef. It will bring out more flavor in the herbs and they won’t get muted with the long cooking time.

Again, I highly recommend crushing the garlic cloves (with a garlic press). The smaller you get the garlic, the more flavor it releases. In other words, a whole garlic clove will not impart as much flavor as a minced or crushed garlic clove. The crushed garlic cloves will also melt into the sauce as it simmers.

Grate the carrots with a box grater. Yes, it’s easier to chop them. Yes, there is a difference in the flavor of the sauce when you grate the carrots. Like the garlic, they melt into the sauce more and add natural sweetness.

Don’t forget to add sugar to the sauce! It may sound a little weird, but you need that tablespoon to offset all of the tomatoes.

I love serving this with gluten free penne, but you can use any gluten free pasta you like! This hearty bolognese with gluten free penne is also delicious in lasagna.

This recipe yields very well to doubling or even cutting it in half if you want to make a smaller batch. I always double it and store the extra sauce in resealable freezer safe bags or containers. The sauce will last in your freezer for at least 3-4 months, so it makes a great weeknight meal.

I’ve found 4 full ladles of sauce are enough for 3-4 portions if you plan on freezing leftovers.

To reheat, take the sauce from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove in a medium sauce pan with the lid on over medium heat. Serve immediately.

Let’s Eat!

If you’re looking for an upgrade to your weeknight dinner plans, give this Hearty Bolognese with Gluten Free Penne a try. Put on a podcast, tie on your apron and take a Sunday to make this sauce. Be sure to make a double batch so you can enjoy the fruits (or sauce) of your labor when the last thing you feel like doing is cooking. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself you did.

Be sure to tag me on social if you make it. Cheers to you, friend!

Hearty Bolognese with Gluten Free Penne

Easy to freeze and reheat, my Hearty Bolognese with Gluten Free Penne is a great option for a satisfying and simple weeknight meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves crushed with garlic press
1 pound lean ground beef
1 yellow onion diced
1 green pepper diced
2 carrots peeled and grated
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 29 ounce can tomato sauce
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
1 12 ounce box gluten free pasta I prefer Barilla gluten free penne

Instructions

For the Sauce

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium high heat. Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add ground beef and sauté until it begins to brown, breaking beef up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Add onions, green pepper, and carrots to the pot. The meat will still be slightly pink when you add the veggies.
Continue browning ground beef and veggies for about 5-7 minutes, until the onions and peppers start to become tender and beef is beginning to caramelize.
Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, ¼ cup grated parmesan, bay leaf, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
Simmer covered over low heat for about 4-5 hours, stirring often, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors combine.

For the Pasta

When the sauce is finished simmering, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Place pasta in large serving bowl, or portion out into 8 individual bowls. Top with the Bolognese sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe yields very well to doubling or even cutting it in half if you want to make a smaller batch. I always double it and store the extra sauce in resealable freezer safe bags or containers. The sauce will last in your freezer for at least 3-4 months, so it makes a great weeknight meal.
I’ve found 4 full ladles of sauce are enough for 3-4 portions if you plan on freezing leftovers.
To reheat, take the sauce from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove in a medium sauce pan with the lid on over medium heat. Serve immediately.